These could probably be the best meatballs & pasta you’ll ever make. There’re so many hidden layers of flavors in this dish. The meatballs are tender but firm, made with ground beef and ricotta. Then drenched in a rich eggplant & roasted bell pepper tomato sauce together with the orzo. Good news! You only need one pan to cook the entire dish.
To nail this dish, we add ricotta and softened bread crumbs to the meat. This way the meatballs will never come out dry and you’ll get a softer, but still toothsome meatball. We mix them with our hands, but be sure you don’t over mix. The shorter you mix and form the balls, the lighter they will be. If you overwork the meatballs, they’ll get tough.
When all the meatballs are formed, we brown them in olive oil, then transfer to a plate and throw the chopped shallot and garlic into the pan. Let them sweat a bit, then add the eggplant. It will add a nice texture and flavor to the sauce without dominating it too much.
Now we also add orzo, and pour in the tomato sauce mixed with roasted bell peppers, some tomato paste and chicken broth. The roasted bell peppers are a must. I used a jar, so no effort, but this is what makes the sauce taste so delicious. It adds a subtle sweetness you can’t get with any other ingredient. The tomato paste gives the sauce a perfect concentrated flavor together with the crushed tomatoes so you’ll have a rich and a pretty smooth sauce. The depth of flavor it adds is almost like you’ve been letting it cook for hours.
We cook the orzo in that flavorful sauce, then transfer the meatballs back into the pan. As finishing touch, we add mozzarella and bake everything a couple of minutes in the oven. And there you have it…the best meatballs ever. Yep, and only one pan.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
RECIPE NOTES
Can’t find orzo? Leave it out and serve this dish with spaghetti or some bread. You can also swap the eggplant for grated zucchini. Or make it without the cheese. It’s all up to you.
Similar recipes:
One Pan Zucchini and Eggplant Orzo Bake
Cheesy eggplant-beef bolognese pasta bake
Cheesy baked pasta with roasted vegetables
You need
- 200 g (7 ounces) orzo
- 150 g (5 ounces) grated mozzarella
- 1 eggplant, sliced into small cubes
- 1 can (400 g/15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 small jar (280 g/10 oz) roasted bell peppers, liquid drained
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 1 tsp each: smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil, chili flakes
- salt + black pepper
- fresh thyme, for sprinkling
- olive oil
meatballs
- 500 g (1.1 pound) ground beef
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp ricotta or heavy cream
- 1 tsp each: smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
How to
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
In a high speed blender add crushed tomatoes, stock, roasted peppers and tomato paste. Blend until smooth.
Place the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the eggplant, slice the shallot and mince the garlic.
Add the beef, egg, garlic, ricotta, seasoning, salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs. Mix just until combined, using your hands. Roll the meat into balls.
In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, remove from skillet.
In the same skillet, add shallot and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, then the eggplant cubes. Cook for 5 minutes, then add in orzo. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in tomato sauce, salt, pepper and the seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on very low heat for 8 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir from time to time with a wooden spoon. If needed, add a little bit of water.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Add meatballs to the sauce, simmer for 5 minutes or until the orzo is al dente. Sprinkle with cheese and fresh thyme. Place in the oven until the mozzarella is melted and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve!
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WOW!!! I will make this but use turkey instead of beef. Thanks much for this recipe.
Thank you so much Linda! I am really glad you like this and I hope it turns out amazing for you!
Could i use yougurt instead of ricotta? I’d rather not buy a whole container for 3 tbsps
Yes, yogurt will work here as well. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Quick question on the peppers and tomatoes; what size cans are they? Here the tomatoes come in 14oz and 28oz sizes, and the peppers come in 12oz and 16oz jars. Thanks!
Hi James, I used the 14 oz can tomatoes and a 12 oz jar roasted peppers. But the bigger jar with peppers will work here as well. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
This is seriously amazing. I doubled the recipe. My 9 and 11 year old both got thirds.
That’s so nice to hear! I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for giving it a try!